Machine for softening cotton braid



(No Model.)

J. H. HBOOX. 'MACHINE P0P. SOFTENING GOTTQNBRAID. No. 473,747.

Patented Apr. 26, 189.2.

g UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN HENRY HEGOX, OF VESTBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINE FOR SOFTENING COTTON BRAID.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 473,747, dated April26, 1892.

Application led March 28,1891. v Serial No. 386,808. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom zit may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN HENRY HECOX, a citizen of the United States,residing at Westborough, lin the county of Worcester and Commonwealth ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Machine for SofteningCotton Braid Used in the Manufacture of VVomens Hats, of which thefollowing is a specication.

My invention is designed to soften cotton braid, which comes to thehat-factories so heavily sized with glue that it is too stiff and hardto use in the ordinary hat or straw sewing machine. I attain this objectand render the braid soft and pliable by the mechanism illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a vertical view of theoutside of the machine, showing the frame-work II K and the cotton braidA B as it enters the machine at the bottom and comes out at the top.Fig. 2 is a top View of the machine, showing the cotton braid A B as itenters the lower guide and passes under and around the wheels C D and EF. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the machine, showing the whole courseof the cotton braid A B as it passes through 1l1e,lower guide P R andout of the upper guide N O. Fig. 4 is an end View ofthe machine.

H K represent the frame-work; O D and E F, the wh eels, which revolve onwashers binding at the base on the bolt S T, and L M represent the rollseparating the wheels, this roll being free to be turned around asneeded on its supporting-bolt, and its ends are not parallel, butinclined slightly toward each other.

The same letters refer to the same parts in all the figures.

In the operation of the machine the cotton braid is drawn through thelower guide P R until it meets the lower rims of the wheels O D and E F.These wheels are set in the frame H K not parallel to each other, but ata slight angle, the lower rims being nearer together than the upper. Aroll L M, with slightly less diameter than the wheels, fills the spacebetween them and furnishes a support for the braid. The rims of thewheels are burred. Vhen the braid reaches the base of the wheels, theseburred rims, if the tension is right, catch it on each edge. The rims,as has been stated, diverge toward the top. As the braid is drawn overthem its edges are held by the burred rims and drawn apart. The threadsof the braid are thus separated, and it comes out through the upperguide N O soft and pliable.

The machine may be adapted to braids of slightly-different widths byturning the roll L M in such a way as to bring a wider part of itssurface to the point Where the braid is caught by the burred rims of thewheels, thus making these rims farther apart.

Although my machine is designed more especially for cotton braids, yetit will be evident that it may be used for braid made of other materialor for kindred material requiring to be softened or stretched laterally.

I claim- I. In combinationwith a suitable frame and with guides for thefabric, a pair of wheels, each having a burred rim and inclined towardcach other and adapted to catch the edge ot' the fabric and to separateits threads, and an intermediate part separating said wheels,substantially as set forth.

2. In combination with a supporting-frame, an inlet and an outlet guidefor the fabric, an intermediate roll, and wheels with burred rims setslightly inclined to each other at each side of said roll.

3. In combination, a supporting-frame, inlet and outlet guides, theinclined wheels C D and E F, and a roll having inclined sides placedbetween said Wheels and adjust-able around its support, as and for thepurpose set forth.

.IOHN IINRY HEOOX.

Witnesses:

JOHN W. FAIEBANK, Oris K. NEWTON.

